Taming a Tempest

TECHNOLOGY can make the difference between life and death. L&T Smart World & Communication (SWC) arm is doing just that with its Early Warning Dissemination System (EWDS). The vital smart solution helped minimise casualties when Cyclone Yaas made landfall on India’s east coast this May.

EWDS is a communication network that integrates several communication technologies – including Digital Mobile Radio, Satellite Based Mobile Data Voice Terminal, Mass Messaging System, Alert Tower Siren Systems, and Universal Communication Interface.

ODISHA

EWDS was deployed across 22 coastal blocks of Odisha in the districts of Balasore, Bhadrak, Kendrapara, Jagatsinghpur and Puri. It connected the State Emergency Operation Centre (SEOC) with five District Emergency Operation Centres (DEOCs), 22 Block Emergency Operation Centres (BEOCs), 14 Fish Landing Centres (FLCs), and 113 cyclone shelters.

On getting a cue that Yaas was building up in the Bay of Bengal, SWC activated the system and made its team man the SEOC and the DEOC concerned round-the-clock. To prepare to combat the cyclone, team undertook several activities, including feeding in phone numbers of all the support services into the Mass Messaging System.

EWDS alerted the authorities in time, enabling them to disseminate critical, urgent information to the multitudes residing in the coastal regions. The authorities were also able to engage with disaster management officials, relief workers and volunteers so to keep them ready.

As instructed by the State Emergency Office, EWDS sounded alerts at hourly intervals in all the five coastal districts prone to the cyclone. As many as 294 alerts, along with video clips of live alert tone and announcement, were sounded. This apart, 267 live announcements were made at half-hourly intervals, asking people to shift to nearby cyclone shelter.

Thanks to EWDS, Odisha, once known for high casualties during natural calamities, was able to minimise the loss of lives this time. Designed and commissioned by SWC, project EWDS is currently being maintained for a period of five years.

ANDHRA PRADESH

SWC team swung into action as soon as an alert came from the Andhra Pradesh State Disaster Management Authority (APSDMA) of Cyclone Yaas’ approach and its possible impact on three coastal districts –. Srikakulam, Vizianagaram and Visakhapatnam.

The team established Digital Mobile Radio (DMR) connectivity between the sites and SEOC, SEOC to DEOC/MEOC and MPCS and kept the same on standby. Siren systems were also activated and the team demonstrated its effective operations to APSDMA officials.

Next, predefined messages received from the administration were broadcast across the three coastal districts. With Yaas not inflicting any major tragedy on the state, the administration lauded SWC for operationalising EWDS in managing the natural disaster.

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